"Red Hat has recently shared with the world the first ISO images of the system that is supposed to be installed on the OLPC laptops. I suddenly felt an irresistible temptation. I downloaded 291 MB ISO, burned it on a CD and started testing. Here is what I got."

I think that's the cop out answer. I started computers on a Commodore 64 and Windows 3.1. I was coding 8-bit assembly when I was 12. Children can absorb even the most complex interfaces and devices suprisingly easy. I know 7 year olds that have completed Doom.

I think you guys are partially missing the point...these tools are not designed to teach them about computers, but to act as learning aids for general knowledge. The goal isn't to create a generation of underage third-world hackers, but to help their education *overall*.

I wouldn't worry about kids somehow being "warped" by using an alternate UI, either...they'll probably have an easier time learning other UIs after this one than if they had never had any contact with a computer.

Those few computer whiz kids in there will find ways to install another system on the machine (probably Linux, as I don't see MS releasing a version of Windows for it...) and go from there.

Computers are part of any well-rounded educational curriculum int he 21st century, and these children should be taught the skills needed to use the standard GUI interfaces that thier peers are using. If not, they may be at a disadvantage if the only computer experience they have is with OLPCs.